dona perecta-第33章

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tisfaction　to　me。〃

〃Well；　I　will　repeat　the　blow；　nephew；〃　declared　Dona　Perfecta；　with　as　much　energy　as　displeasure。　〃You　know　it　nowI　do　not　wish　you　to　marry　Rosario！〃

Pepe　was　silent。　There　was　a　long　pause；　during　which　the　two　regarded　each　other　attentively；　as　if　the　face　of　each　was　for　the　other　the　most　perfect　work　of　art。

〃Don't　you　understand　what　I　have　said　to　you？〃　she　repeated。　〃That　every　thing　is　at　an　end；　that　there　is　to　be　no　marriage。〃

〃Permit　me；　dear　aunt；〃　said　the　young　man；　with　composure；　〃not　to　be　terrified　by　the　intimation。　In　the　state　at　which　things　have　arrived　your　refusal　has　little　importance　for　me。〃

〃What　are　you　saying？〃　cried　Dona　Perfecta　violently。

〃What　you　hear。　I　will　marry　Rosario！〃

Dona　Perfecta　rose　to　her　feet；　indignant；　majestic；　terrible。　Her　attitude　was　that　of　anathema　incarnated　in　a　woman。　Rey　remained　seated；　serene；　courageous；　with　the　passive　courage　of　a　profound　conviction　and　an　immovable　resolve。　The　whole　weight　of　his　aunt's　wrath；　threatening　to　overwhelm　him；　did　not　make　him　move　an　eyelash。　This　was　his　character。

〃You　are　mad。　Marry　my　daughter；　you！　Marry　her　against　my　will！〃

Dona　Perfecta's　trembling　lips　articulated　these　words　in　a　truly　tragic　tone。

〃Against　your　will！　She　is　of　a　different　way　of　thinking。〃

〃Against　my　will！〃　repeated　Dona　Perfecta。　〃Yes；　and　I　repeat　it　again　and　again。　I　do　not　wish　it；　I　do　not　wish　it！〃

〃She　and　I　wish　it。〃

〃Fool！　Is　nothing　else　in　the　world　to　be　considered　but　her　and　you？　Are　there　not　parents；　is　there　not　society；　is　there　not　a　conscience；　is　there　not　a　God？〃

〃Because　there　is　society；　because　there　is　a　conscience；　because　there　is　a　God；〃　affirmed　Rey　gravely；　rising　to　his　feet；　and　pointing　with　outstretched　arm　to　the　heavens；　〃I　say　and　I　repeat　that　I　will　marry　her。〃

〃Wretch！　arrogant　man！　And　if　you　would　dare　to　trample　every　thing　under　your　feet；　do　you　think　there　are　not　laws　to　prevent　your　violence？〃

〃Because　there　are　laws；　I　say　and　I　repeat　that　I　will　marry　her。〃

〃You　respect　nothing！〃

〃Nothing　that　is　unworthy　of　respect。〃

〃And　my　authority；　my　will；　Iam　I　nothing？〃

〃For　me　your　daughter　is　every　thingthe　rest　is　nothing。〃

Pepe　Rey's　composure　was；　so　to　say；　the　arrogant　display　of　invincible　and　conscious　strength。　The　blows　he　gave　were　hard　and　crushing　in　their　force；　without　any　thing　to　mitigate　their　severity。　His　words；　if　the　comparison　may　be　allowed；　were　like　a　pitiless　discharge　of　artillery。

Dona　Perfecta　sank　again　on　the　sofa；　but　she　shed　no　tears；　and　a　convulsive　tremor　agitated　her　frame。

〃So　that　for　this　infamous　atheist；〃　she　exclaimed；　with　frank　rage；　〃there　are　no　social　conventionalities；　there　is　nothing　but　caprice。　This　is　base　avarice。　My　daughter　is　rich！〃

〃If　you　think　to　wound　me　with　that　treacherous　weapon；　evading　the　question　and　giving　a　distorted　meaning　to　my　sentiments　in　order　to　offend　my　dignity；　you　are　mistaken；　dear　aunt。　Call　me　mercenary；　if　you　choose。　God　knows　what　I　am。〃

〃You　have　no　dignity！〃

〃That　is　an　opinion；　like　any　other。　The　world　may　hold　you　to　be　infallible。　I　do　not。　I　am　far　from　believing　that　from　your　judgments　there　is　no　appeal　to　God。〃

〃But　is　what　you　say　true？　But　do　you　persist　in　your　purpose；　after　my　refusal？　You　respect　nothing；　you　are　a　monster；　a　bandit。〃

〃I　am　a　man。〃

〃A　wretch！　Let　us　end　this　at　once。　I　refuse　to　give　my　daughter　to　you；　I　refuse　her　to　you！〃

〃I　will　take　her　then！　I　shall　take　only　what　is　mine。〃

〃Leave　my　presence！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta；　rising　suddenly　to　her　feet。　〃Coxcomb；　do　you　suppose　that　my　daughter　thinks　of　you？〃

〃She　loves　me；　as　I　love　her。〃

〃It　is　a　lie！　It　is　a　lie！〃

〃She　herself　has　told　me　so。　Excuse　me　if；　on　this　point；　I　put　more　faith　in　her　words　than　in　her　mother's。〃

〃How　could　she　have　told　you　so；　when　you　have　not　seen　her　for　several　days？〃

〃I　saw　her　last　night；　and　she　swore　to　me　before　the　crucifix　in　the　chapel　that　she　would　be　my　wife。〃

〃Oh；　scandal；　oh；　libertinism！　But　what　is　this？　My　God；　what　a　disgrace！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta；　pressing　her　head　again　between　her　hands　and　walking　up　and　down　the　room。　〃Rosario　left　her　room　last　night？〃

〃She　left　it　to　see　me。　It　was　time。〃

〃What　vile　conduct　is　yours！　You　have　acted　like　a　thief；　you　have　acted　like　a　vulgar　seducer！〃

〃I　have　acted　in　accordance　with　the　teachings　of　your　school。　My　intention　was　good。〃

〃And　she　came　down　stairs！　Ah；　I　suspected　it！　This　morning　at　daybreak　I　surprised　her；　dressed；　in　her　room。　She　told　me　she　had　gone　out；　I　don't　know　for　what。　You　were　the　real　criminal；　then。　This　is　a　disgrace！　Pepe；　I　expected　any　thing　from　you　rather　than　an　outrage　like　this。　Every　thing　is　at　an　end！　Go　away！　You　are　dead　to　me。　I　forgive　you；　provided　you　go　away。　I　will　not　say　a　word　about　this　to　your　father。　What　horrible　selfishness！　No；　there　is　no　love　in　you。　You　do　not　love　my　daughter！〃

〃God　knows　that　I　love　her；　and　that　is　sufficient　for　me。〃

〃Be　silent；　blasphemer！　and　don't　take　the　name　of　God　upon　your　lips！〃　exclaimed　Dona　Perfecta。　〃In　the　name　of　God；　whom　I　can　invoke；　for　I　believe　in　him；　I　tell　you　that　my　daughter　will　never　be　your　wife。　My　daughter　will　be　saved；　Pepe；　my　daughter　shall　not　be　condemned　to　a　living　hell；　for　a　union　with　you　would　be　a　hell！〃

〃Rosario　will　be　my　wife；〃　repeated　the　mathematician；　with　pathetic　calmness。

The　pious　lady　was　still　more　exasperated　by　her　nephew's　calm　energy。　In　a　broken　voice　she　said：

〃Don't　suppose　that　your　threats　terrify　me。　I　know　what　I　am　saying。　What！　are　a　home　and　a　family　to　be　outraged　like　this？　Are　human　and　divine　authority　to　be　trampled　under　foot　in　this　way？〃

〃I　will　trample　every　thing　under　foot；〃　said　the　engineer；　beginning　to　lose　his　composure　and　speaking　with　some　agitation。

〃You　will　trample　every　thing　under　foot！　Ah！　it　is　easy　to　see　that　you　are　a　barbarian；　a　savage；　a　man　who　lives　by　violence。〃

〃No；　dear　aunt；　I　am　mild；　upright；　honorable；　and　an　enemy　to　violence；　but　between　you　and　mebetween　you　who　are　the　law　and　I　who　am　to　honor　itis　a　poor　tormented　creature；　one　of　God's　angels；　subjected　to　iniquitous　tortures。　The　spectacle　of　this　injustice；　this　unheard…of　violence；　is　what　has　converted　my　rectitude　into　barbarity；　my　reason　into　brute　force；　my　honor　into　violence；　like　an　assassin's　or　a　thief's；　this　spectacle；　senora；　is　what　impels　me　to　disregard　your　law；　what　impels　me　to　trample　it　under　foot；　braving　every　thing。　This　which　appears　to　you　lawlessness　is　obedience　to　an　unescapable　law。　I　do　what　society　does　when　a　brutal　power；　as　illogical　as　irritating；　opposes　its　progress。　It　tramples　it　under　foot　and　destroys　it　in　an　outburst　of　frenzy。　Such　am　I　at　this　momentI　do　not　recognize　myself。　I　was　reasonable；　and　now　I　am　a　brute；　I　was　respectful；　and　now　I　am　insolent；　I　was　civilized；　and　now　I　am　a　savage。　You　have　brought　me　to　this　horrible　extremity；　infuriating　me　and　driving　me　from　the　path　of　rectitude　which　I　was　tranquilly　pursuing。　Who　is　to　blameI　or　you？〃

〃You；　you！〃

〃Neither　you　nor　I　can　decide　the　question。　I　think　we　are　both　to　blame：　you　for　your　violence　and　injustice；　I　for　my　injustice　and　violence。　We　have　both　become　equally　barbarous；　and　we　struggle　with　and　wound　each　other　without　compassion。　God　has　permitted　that　it　should　be　so；　my　blood　will　be　upon　your　conscience；　yours　will　be　upon　mine。　Enough　now；　senora。　I　do　not　wish　to　trouble　you　with　useless　words。　We　will　now　proceed　to　acts。〃

〃To　acts；　very　well！〃　said　Dona　Perfecta；　roaring　rather　than　speaking。　〃Don't　suppose　that　in　Orbajosa　there　is　no　civil　guard！〃

〃Good…by；　senora。　I　will　now　leave　this　house。　I　think　we　shall　meet　again。〃

〃Go；　go！　go　now！〃　she　cried；　pointing　with　an　energetic　gesture　to　the　door。

Pepe　Rey　left　the　room。　Dona　Perfecta；　after　pronouncing　a　few　incoherent　words；　which　were　the　clearest　expression　of　her　anger；　sank　into　a　chair；　with　indications　of　fatigue；　or　of　a　coming　attack　of　nerves。　The　maids　came　running　in。

〃Go　for　Senor　Don　Inocencio！〃　she　cri